


Mutual

by EllieRose101



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23661334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieRose101/pseuds/EllieRose101
Summary: Throughout the years, Spike and Buffy have disagreed on many things. But there are certain topics (namely, each other) over which they formed a consensus. Even if that consensus happened to shift, it shifted for both of them. It was inevitable. It was instinctual. It was mutual.
Relationships: Spike/Buffy Summers
Kudos: 28





	Mutual

One Shot

Who was to say when it really started? It could have been the first time she saw him, in the alleyway outside the Bronze; or their fight in the school, or a thousand other times they threw barbs and/or weaponry.

Although Buffy couldn’t pinpoint the source or start date of her weird kinship with Spike, the memory of when it first became apparent to her was still clear in her mind, these three years later. 

Spike had kidnapped Angel and was using his blood to heal Drusilla. Kendra had been fighting Spike, Buffy had been fighting some police assassin woman she couldn’t remember the name of now, and then they had switched.

“I’d rather be fighting you anyway,” Spike had commented.

And “Mutual” Buffy had agreed. Because it was true.

She knew how he liked to move, and it fit well with how she liked to move. It didn’t have to mean anything more than that. Just a little professional respect. You know, alongside the loathing.

Given the church organ that fell on Spike that day, it was a long while before they faced off against each other again. But despite that, it was like no time had passed at all.

Buffy punched Spike in the jaw, sending him reeling back with a positively perky exclamation of, “I’d rather fight you anyway.”

And with a wince and a grin, Spike said, “Mutual. Thought you’d forgotten.”

She hit him in the chest. “You almost killed my boyfriend. Really think I’d forget that?”

“Suppose not,” he allowed, trying to kick her feet from under her. Buffy jumped and dodged and on it went. It had been kind of fun, but the time after that, she’d been really pissed at him.

“I violently dislike you,” she declared when he came rolling back into town and just had to ruin everything with his stupid words and stupid plans and best-friend kidnapping.

Again, he’d grinned at her, except wider than before. “You know, funny thing. But I feel the same. You could almost say it was… mutual.”

That set it in stone, like an inside joke or something; just this one line – one word, really – they kept coming back to, again and again, despite the season, location, or circumstances. Sometimes even when they were on the same side. Any time they had cause to agree, which was weirdly regular, once they started thinking about it, one of them would say “mutual” and the other one would get a goofy look on their face like they’d been told they were the prettiest person at a ball.

Xander said it was sickening, but Anya said he was jealous.

Either way, it kept coming back around; even while the background context shifted from the classic sentiment of “I hate you” to “I missed hitting you in the face” to “I guess you’re not so bad. Maybe.”

And now here they were, the morning after the night before an apocalypse when the world might end – again – and it could very well be their last chance to come clean.

So Spike had kissed her. Tentatively, at first, before stepping back to gauge her reaction

Boy was Buffy’s body reacting! Even if her brain could barely keep up. “I, um….” she stammered. “I really feel like you need to try that again.”

Surprise flashed in Spike’s eyes, then transmuted to a wicked kind of glee. He kissed her again, she kissed him back, and they both got really caught up until eventually having to break for air.

While Buffy panted, Spike sighed and hung his head. Her heart sank, fearing he was regretting all the kisses already, but then he admitted – to the floor as much as her: “I should tell you now. Don’t know if I’ll get another chance, and it’s only fair.”

“Yeah?” she prompted, when he didn’t carry on right away.

He took a deep breath but still didn’t meet her eye. “I love you, Buffy.”

She blew out a long breath of her own. “Oh, thank god!”

Spike’s head snapped up again. “What?”

“I, umm.” She bit her lip. “I guess I’ve been having... _feelings_ for a while. And I hoped it wasn’t just me. So, I’m really glad you said it first.”

He stared at her silently for a long time. Then, “What?” he said again.

She took a step towards him and placed his hand in hers. “What I’m trying to say is… mutual.”


End file.
